Quick and Easy Apple Compote

5 from 5 vote

Quick and Easy Apple Compote

Quick and Easy Apple Compote is a quick, versatile recipe that turns fresh apples into a warm, spiced topping in under 30 minutes. Flavored with cinnamon, brown sugar, and a hint of lemon, this chunky, wholesome compote is perfect for baking, desserts, or breakfasts like pancakes, ice cream, and overnight oats. Simple, fresh, and full of cozy flavor.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: vegan, gluten-free, apples

Servings: servings

Calories: 113kcal

Author: Lora

Equipment

1 Knife
1 Medium Saucepan
1 large wooden spoon

Ingredients

3 pounds crisp apples use Granny Smith Honeycrisp, peeled, cored and cut in chunks (9 cups)
1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-2 Tablespoons water if needed

Instructions

Lemon juice on apples: Place the apples in a bowl as you cut them up. You could also place the cut apples directly into the pan before you place on the burner. Squeeze lemon juice over the apples as you're cutting them up and place them in the bowl. This stops them from browning.
Apples in sauce pan and begin to cook: Place apples, lemon juice, and sugars in a heavy saucepan and stir over medium-high heat until the mixture is bubbling.
Cinnamon: Add in the cinnamon and stir
Lower heat: Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring often, until the apples have cooked down but still have some texture, 15 to 20 minutes. If the apples are sticking a bit to the bottom of pan, add in a tablespoon of water and stir to loosen them up.
Check texture: Check and taste the apples at 15 minutes to make sure they're not getting too soft and see if they need a bit more lemon juice. You want them to still have some texture, but be soft. Add a little bit more lemon juice if you like them a bit more tart.
Let cool: Remove from heat and allow to cool. Could be served hot or warm over ice-cream, or with pancakes or waffles. Or, as soon as the compote has cooled down to room temperature, transfer to a jar or an airtight container, and refrigerate. Or serve and ENJOY!

Notes

Apples: You could use crisp apples like Pink Lady, Braeburn. I like to sometimes use a combination of sweet and tart apples like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith.
Spices: I used just cinnamon, but go ahead and add in other spices like nutmeg or ginger. You could add a dash of vanilla extract, which gives it a warm, delicious flavor.
Yield: It may seem like a lot of apples but they do cook down and recipe yields about 3 ½ cups.
Store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You could freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge before warming, or you could eat it cold or room temperature.

Nutrition